Trying to learn what is pleasing to the Lord – Ephesians 5:10

Category Archives: My Family

December is packed with holidays, observances, food themes, awareness days , historic figures and authors birthdays, science and historic based anniversaries, and more! Whether you’re looking for something special to study, celebrate, or add to the menu, this list of special days for December, 2018 gives you plenty to choose from.

Resources for teaching through December, including a PDF of December’s Special Days, can be found at the end of this list.

December Themes, Observances, and Awareness Days:

Art and Architecture

Basketball (1st played Dec. 1891)

Bingo

Drunk & Drugged Driving Prevention

Learn a Foreign Language

Operation Santa Paws

Read a New Book

Safe Toys and Gifts

Spiritual Literacy

Tie

Universal Human Rights

World AIDS

Write A Business Plan

Write a Friend

December’s Food Themes

Egg Nog

Exotic Fruit

Food Safety

Fruit Cake

Pear

Quince

Root Vegetables

Tomato

Winter Squash

December, 2018 Daily Specials
(the * means that the special day does not necessarily fall on the same date every year)

I make my monthly special days calendars by using several sources including old calendars, holiday books, newspapers, and the web. If you know of a special day that I do not have listed, please comment and let me know what it is so I can add it in. Below are the links to my favorite online calendars.

Here’s the list of November, 2018 holidays, observances, food themes, awareness days, famous birthdays, science and history based anniversaries, and more! There’s much to learn about, celebrate, and eat all November long!

Resources for teaching through November, including a PDF of November’s Special Days, can be found at the end of this list.

November Themes

Adoption Awareness

Adopt a Senior Pet

Adopt a Turkey

Alzheimer’s Awareness

American Indian Heritage

Aviation History

Child Safety and Protection

Creative Child

Diabetes

Epilepsy Awareness

Family Caregivers

Family Literacy

Family Stories

Healthy Lifestyles

Historic Bridge

Home Care and Hospice

International Drum

Inspirational Role Models

Life Writing

Long Term Care Awareness

Lung Cancer Awareness

MADD’s Tie One On For Safety Holiday

Manatee Awareness

Marrow Awareness Month

Military Family Appreciation

Model Railroad

Marrow Awareness

Mustache

Music

Native American Heritage Month

No TV

Novel Writing (NaNoWriMo)

NoSHAVEmber

Pancreatic Cancer Awareness

Prematurity Awareness

Real Jewelry

Scholarship Month

Sleep Comfort

Stamp Collecting

November Food Themes

Banana Pudding Lovers

Diabetes Awareness

Georgia Pecan

Gluten-Free Diet Awareness

Good Nutrition

Greens

Plantains

Peanut Butter Lovers

Pepper

Plum

Pomegranate

Raisin Bread

Roasting

Squash

Spinach

Sweet Potato Awareness

Vegan

November Daily Specials (the * following the special day means that it may fall on a different date each year)

I make my monthly special days calendars by using several sources including old calendars, holiday books, newspapers, and the web. If you know of a special day that I do not have listed, please comment and let me know what it is so I can add it in. Below are the links to my favorite online calendars.

In Jules Verne’s novel, Around the World in 80 Days, the calm, orderly main character, Phileas Fogg, makes a wager that he can travel around the world in eighty days. He does this on October 2, 1873. Today we have fun holiday in honor of this fictional occasion, “Phileas Fogg Win a Wager Day”! If your family hasn’t read Around the World in 80 Days, October 2 would be a perfect time to start. Of course, anytime is a good time to begin such a thrilling adventure.

We chose to “read” this classical story via audio a couple of years ago and the whole family loved it! The reader from “Loyal Books” was excellent. Please note that Around the World in 80 Days is not a children’s book. There are some rather mature scenes in Verne’s tale, however my youngest (11 at the time) was fine after some discussion. Actually, this book inspired a lot of discussion.

Here’s a collection of resources to add some extra fun and some lessons to the reading.

Here’s the October, 2018 Special Days list! It’s filled with holidays, observances, food themes, awareness days , historic figures and authors birthdays, science and historic based anniversaries, and even some spooky stuff! If you’re looking for something seasonal and fun to include in your lesson plans, a day to celebrate, or special foods to add to your menu, this list will give you some awesome ideas!

Resources for teaching through October, including a PDF of October’s Special Days, can be found at the end of this list.

October’s Themes, Awareness, and Observances

Adopt a Shelter Dog

AIDS Awareness

Animal Safety and Protection

Arts and Crafts

Arts and Humanities

Audiology Awareness

Augmentative and Alternative Communication

Bat Appreciation

Birds of Prey

Bilingual Child

Blindness Awareness

Book

Breast Cancer Awareness

Bullying Prevention

Children’s Magazine

Chiropractic

Church Library

Class Reunion

Clocks

Computer Learning

Co-op Awareness

Crime Prevention

Cut Out Dissection

Cyber Security Awareness

Dental Hygiene

Depression Education and Awareness

Domestic Violence Awareness

Down Syndrome Awareness

Drum

Dyslexia Awareness

Emotional Intelligence Awareness

Emotional Wellness

Energy Management

Ergonomics

Eye Safety

Fair Trade

Feral Hog

Financial Planning

Free Thought

German-American Heritage

Global Diversity

Go On A Field Trip

Halloween Safety

Health Literacy

Improve Your Home

International Dinosaur

Liver Awareness

Kitchen and Bath

Medical Librarian

Menopause

Orthodontic Health

Pastor Appreciation Day

Prescription Errors Education and Awareness

Photographer Appreciation

Physical Therapy

Polish American Heritage

Positive Attitude

Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness

Protect Your Hearing

Raptor Month

Reading Group

Right Brainers Rule

Roller Skating

Sarcastic Awareness

Self-Promotion

Spina Bifida Awareness

Squirrel Awareness

Stamp Collecting Month

Starman

Strategic Planning

Sudden Infant Death Syndrome Awareness

Walk To School

Window Covering Safety

Work and Family

World Animal

October’s Food Themes

Apple

Apple Jack

Bake and Decorate

Caramel

Cheese

Chili

Cookie

Country Ham

Cranberry

Eat Better, Eat Together

Eatable Roots

English Pudding

Farm to School

Pasta

Persimmons

Pizza

Popcorn Poppin’

Pork

Pumpkins

Rhizomes

Rhubarb

Sausage

Seafood

Spinach Lovers

Tackling Hunger

Vegetarian Awareness

Daily Specials for October, 2017(the * means that the special day does not fall on the same date each year)

Oct. 1

CD Player Day

Child Health Day * – 1st Mon.

President Jimmy Carter born 1924

Fire Pup Day

Homemade Cookies Day

International Day of Older Persons

Lace Day

Less Than Perfect Day

Model T Ford introduced 1908

Nigeria Independence Day 1960

People’s Republic of China National Day 1949

Raccoon Appreciation Day

Vegetarian Day

World Day of Bullying Prevention/Blue Shirt Day * – 1st Mon.

World Habitat Day * – 1st Mon.

Oct. 2

Custodial Workers Day

Farm Animals Day

Phileas Fogg Win a Wager Day

Mahatma Gandhi born 1869

Guardian Angels Day

Guinea Independence Day 1958

International Day of Non-violence

Comic Julius “Groucho” Marx born 1895

Name Your Car Day

Peanuts Comic first published 1950

Oct. 3

Balloons Around the World Day * – 1st Wed.

Bring Your Bible to School Day *

Butterfly and Hummingbird Day

Captain Kangaroo premier 1955

East and West Germany Re-unification 1990

Arthur James Herriot born 1916

Kids’ Goal Setting Day

Richard the Lionheart crowned King 1189

No Salt Week begins

SOS (distress code) established 1906

Techie’s Day

Blues Musician Stevie Ray Vaughn born 1954

Virus Appreciation Day

Walk to School Day * – 1st Wed.

Oct. 4

Blessing of the Animals Day

Cinnamon Roll Day

Frappe Day

Golf Day

President Rutherford Hayes born 1822

Improve Your Office Day

St. Francis Day

Lesotho Independence Day 1966

Sputnik launched 1957

Author, Edward Stratemeyer born 1862

Ten-Four Day

World Animal Day

World Space Week begins

Oct. 5

President Chester Arthur born 1829

Denim Day * – 1st Fri.

Diversity Day * – 1st Fri.

Do Something Nice Day

Physicist Robert Hutchings Goddard born 1882

Jarrow March 1936

Stop Bullying Day

Story Telling Weekend * – 1st Fri.

World Smile Day *- 1st Fri.

World Teachers Day

Oct. 6

Card Making Day * – 1st Sat.

Come and Take It Day

Fallen Firefighters Memorial Weekend *

Frugal Fun Day * – 1st Sat.

German-American Day

Mad Hatter Day

William Tyndale martyred 1536

Inventor George Westinghouse born 1846

Oct. 7

First “American Bandstand” Broadcast 1952

Animal Welfare Week * – 1st full week

Physicist Niels Bohrs born 1885

Carry a Tune Week * – week with the 7th

Change A Light Day – * 1st Sun.

Explorer Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo discovered Catalina Island 1542

Fire Prevention Week begins * – week with the 9th

Get Organized Week * – 1st full week

Great Books Week * – 1st full week

Inter-generation Day* – 1st Sun.

Metric Week * – week with the 10th

Mystery Series Week * – 1st full week

Work From Home Week * – 1st full week

World Communion Day * – 1st Sun.

Oct. 8

Canadian Thanksgiving * – 2nd Mon.

Cephalopod Awareness Days (8-10)

Great Chicago Fire 1871

Columbus Day * – 2nd Mon.

Activist Jesse Jackson born 1941

Native American Day * – 2nd Mon.

Pierogy Day

Spinning and Weaving Week* – Mon. of first full week

Touch Tag Day

Alvin C. York Day

Oct. 9

Chess Day

Cupcake Day

Curious Events Day

Leif Erikson Day

Fire Prevention Day

First 2-way Telephone Conversation 1876

Musician John Lennon born 1940

Moldy Cheese Day

Pro-Life Cupcake Day

Uganda Independence Day 1962

Washington Monument opened 1888

World Post Day

Oct. 10

Angel Food Cake Day

Bring Your Teddy Bear To Work & School Day * – 2nd Wed.

Cake Decorating Day

Emergency Nurses Day * – 2nd Wed.

Fiji Independence Day 1970

International Day for Natural Disaster Reduction * – 2nd Wed.

Author James Marshall born 1942

Metric Day

Republic of China/Taiwan National Day 1949

Top Spinning Day * – 2nd Wed.

World Mental Health Day

Oct. 11

Apollo 7 launched 1968

Boer War Began 1880

Coming Out Day

It’s My Party Day

Remember Forever Day

Eleanor Roosevelt born 1884

World Sight Day * – 2nd Thurs.

Oct. 12

Cookbook Launch Day

Egg Day * – 2nd Fri.

Fossil Day

Freethought Day

Moment of Frustration Day

Old Farmer’s Day

Star Spangled Banner First Sung 1814

Oct. 13

Earth Science Week begins

English Language Day

Greenwich Mean Time established 1884

Fall Astronomy Day *

Patriot Molly Pitcher born 1754

Skeptics Day

Margaret Thatcher born 1925

White House Construction began 1792

US Navy Established 1775

Universal Music Day * – 2nd Sat.

Oct. 14

Battle of Hastings 1066

Be Bald and Free Day

Chestnut Week * – 2nd full week

Clergy Appreciation Day * – 2nd Sun.

Dessert Day

President Dwight Eisenhower born 1890

Food Bank Week * – week of the 16th

William Penn born 1644

Photographic Film patented 1884

Wolf Awareness Week *- 2nd full week

Oct. 15

1st Manned Balloon Flight (tethered), 1783

Clean Your Virtual Desktop Day * – 3rd Mon.

Grouch Day

Handwashing Day

I Love Lucy Premier 1951

International Day of Rural Women

Poetry Day

Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Day

School Lunch Week * – 2nd full week

Veterinary Technician Week begins

White Cane Safety Day

Oct. 16

Marie Antoinette executed 1793

Boss’ Day * – Closest weekday to the 16th

Dictionary Day

Learn A Word Day

Nuclear Science Week *

Pro-Life Day of Silent Solidarity * – 3rd Tues.

Noah Webster born 1758

World Food Day

Oct. 17

African American Poetry Day

Eradication of Poverty Day

Hagfish Day * – 3rd Wed.

Author Arthur Miller born 1915

Mulligan Day

Wear Something Gaudy Day

Oct. 18

Alternative Fuel Day

Chocolate Cupcake Day

Get Smart About Credit Day * – 3rd Thurs.

No Beard Day

Saint Luke’s Day

World Menopause Day

Oct. 19

Cave Painting discovered in Verona, Italy 2000

Author/Illustrator Ed Emberly born 1931

Evaluate Your Life Day

Electric Light Bulb Introduced 1879

Revolutionary War ends 1781

Oct. 20

Baseball’s Mickey Mantle born 1931

Bridge Day * – 3rd Sat.

Information Overload Day

Monster Mash Day

Sloth Day

Sweetest Day * – 3rd Sat.

Architect Sir Christopher Wren born 1632

Oct. 21

Apple Day

Babbling Day

Battle of Trafalgar 1805

Bullying Bystanders Unite Week * – 3rd full week

Character Counts Week * – 3rd full week

Chemistry Week * – 4th week

Count Your Buttons Day

Freedom of Speech Week * – 3rd full week

Friends of the Library Week * – 3rd full week

Forest Products Week * – 3rd Sun

Global Iodine Deficiency Disorder Prevention Day

1st Light Bulb 1879

Massage Therapy Week * – last full week

Inventor Alfred Nobel born 1833

Peace, Friendship, & Goodwill Week * – last full week

Pumpkin Cheesecake Day

Reptile Awareness Day

Save For Retirement Week *

Oct. 22

Daniel Boone born 1734

CAP LOCKS DAY

Everyone Writes Day

Nut Day

School Bus Safety Week * – Mon. of 3rd full week

Stuttering Awareness Day

Oct. 23

Battle of Edgehill 1642

Capistrano Day

iPod Day

Mole Day

Pele (soccer champion) born 1940

Swallows Depart from San Juan Capistrano Day

TV Talk Show Host Day

Oct. 24

Bologna Day

Disarmament Week begins (UN)

Food Day

Medical Assistants Recognition Day * – Wed. of 3rd full week

United Nations Day

World Development Information Day

Zambia Independence Day 1964

Oct. 25

Charge of the Light Brigade 1854

Saint Crispin’s Day

Magic Week begins

Pasta Day

Artist Pablo Picasso born 1881

Punk for a Day Day

Punky Night * – last Thurs.

Sourest Day

Oct. 26

Erie Canal opened 1825

Gun Fight at the OK Corral 1881

Hillary Clinton born 1947

Frankenstein Day * – last Fri.

Make a Difference Day * – 4th Fri.& Sat.

Mincemeat

Mule Day

National Pumpkin Day

Red Cross Founded 1836

Oct. 27

Explorer James Cook born 1728

Cranky Co-Workers Day

International Creation Day *

Navy Day

President Theodore Roosevelt born 1858

St Vincent and Grenadines Independence Day 1979

Tell A Story Day

Oct. 28

Chocolates Day

Mother-In-Law Day * – 4th Sun.

Plush Animal Lover’s Day

St. Jude’s Day

Physician Jonas Salk born 1914

Statue of Liberty dedicated 1886

Oct. 29

Cat Day

Gateway to the West (St. Louis Arch) completed 1965

Hermit Day

Internet Day

Oatmeal Day

The New York Stock Exchange crashed (beginning of The Great Depression) 1929

I make my monthly special days calendars by using several sources including old calendars, holiday books, newspapers, and the web. If you know of a special day that I do not have listed, please comment and let me know what it is so I can add it in. Below are the links to my favorite online calendars.

September is loaded with holidays, observances, food themes, awareness days , historic figures and authors birthdays, science and historic based anniversaries, and more! So, if you are looking for a reason to celebrate, a classroom theme, a special topic to study, this day in history trivia, club meeting ideas, or a food to add to the menu, this list of Special Days in September, 2018 has lots to choose from!

Resources for teaching through September, including a PDF of September’s Special Days, can be found at the end of this list.

September Themes

ADHD Awareness

Alopecia Areatas Awareness

Animal Remembrance

Atrial Fibrillation Month

Baby Safety

Back to School

Backpack Safety America

Be Kind to Editors and Writers

Blackpool Illuminations

Campus Safety

Chicken

Child Awareness

Childhood Cancer Awareness Month

Childhood Obesity Awareness

Children’s Eye Health and Safety

Children’s Good Manners

Church Clipping

Classical Music

College Savings

Conkers

Coupon

Courtesy

Disaster Preparedness

DNA, Genomics, and Stem Cell Education

Fall Hat

Guide Dogs

Gynecology Cancer Awareness

Happy Cat

Hat Month

Head Lice Prevention

Healthy Aging

Hispanic Heritage

Home Furnishings

Hunger Action

Leukemia and Lymphoma Awareness

Library Card Sign-Up

Literacy

Little League

Million Minute Family Challenge (Sept. – Dec.)

Mold Awareness

One-On-One

People Skills

Piano

Preparedness

Prosper Where You Are Planted

Prostate Cancer Awareness

Read a New Book

Responsible Dog Ownership

Save a Koala

Save a Tiger

Sea Cadet

School Success

Self Improvement

Self-Awareness Month

Sewing

Shameless Promotion

Skin Care Awareness

Square Dancing

Strategic Thinking

Subliminal Communications

Update Your Resume

Women of Achievement

Women’s Friendship

World Animal Remembrance Month

September Food Themes

All American Breakfast

Apple

Better Breakfast

Blueberry Popsicle

Chicken

Childhood Obesity Awareness

Cholesterol Education

Food Safety Education

Fruit and Veggies — More Matters

Honey

Ice Cream Shake

Mushroom

Organic Harvest

Papaya

Potato

Rice

Wild Rice

Whole Grains

September 2017 Daily Specials (the * behind the special day means that the day falls on a different date from year to year)

I make my monthly special days lists by using several sources including old calendars, holiday books, newspapers, and the web. If you know of a special day that I do not have listed, please comment and let me know what it is so I can add it in. Below are the links to my favorite online themed calendars.

The 2018 August calendar has loads of special days! The following list is made up of August’s holidays, observances, food themes, awareness days , famous birthdays, science and historic based anniversaries, and more. So, if you want an occasion to celebrate, pick up some trivia, or add foods to your menu, this is the right place for you. And, of course you’ll find multiple opportunities for “on the calendar” themed studies for your classroom, homeschool, co-op/support group, or club.

Resources for teaching throughout the month, including a free PDF of Special Days in August, can be found at the end of this list.

August Awareness and Observance Themes

Admit You’re Happy

American Adventures

Artist Appreciation

Back To School

Black Business Month

Breastfeeding

Cactus

Child support Awareness

Children’s Eye Health and Safety

Crayon Collection

Edinburgh Fringe Festival

Family Fun

Get Ready for Kindergarten

Glenn Miller Festival (UK)

Golf

Happiness Happens

Hug

Immunization Awareness

Inventors

Minority Donor Awareness

Motorsports

Mutt-i-grees Rescue

National Parks

Psoriasis Awareness

Read a Romance Novel

Reading Festival (UK)

Romance Awareness

Science, Medicine, and Technology

Spinal Muscular Atrophy Awareness

Tomboy Tools

Traffic Awareness

Truancy Prevention

Water Quality

What Will Be Your Legacy

Win with Civility

August Food Themes

Catfish

Celery

Coffee

Family Meals

Fennel

Kiwifruit

Orange

Panini

Papaya

Peach

Picnic

Sandwich

August 2017 Daily Specials (the * means that the special day does not fall on the same date each year)

Special Days Archive – Direct links to the most recent Special Days and Resource Lists for every month.

I make my monthly Special Days lists by using several sources including old calendars, holiday books, newspapers, and the web. If you know of a special day that I do not have listed, please comment and let me know what it is so I can add it in. Below are the links to my favorite online calendar resources for August.

“Snakes. Why’d it have to be snakes?” asks Indiana Jones, and this homeschooling mama is asking that too! I know some people who have pet snakes and enjoy them and others who have extreme fear of them. Growing up in Kentucky, I’ve even heard rumors of snake handling in churches! Personally, I’m in more of a basic “just avoid them” category. Honestly, I’d rather avoid a snake study but “July 16 – World Snake Day” was marked on our list of Special Days in July , which means it’s an interest study request. I don’t want to say no to an interest study, and it’s been a while since we did an animal research project, so …

Here’s my collection of cross curriculum snake themed resources to share with you for when you find yourself facing a snake study.

Snakes in Art – Statues, paintings, pottery, drawings, and more, from ancient to modern day, and from all over the world. (Again, Heads up! Not all will be appropriate for families, but you can easily choose which pieces suit your study.)

Printable Snakes and Ladders Game – “When you download the game, you will get a printable board and a set of question cards. With every move the player has to answer a question in order to stay on their new position. This game comes with the questions of the World of Knowledge game. But you can create your own set of questions. But you can also play it without any questions, just roll the dice and have fun!”

I couldn’t find a “snake” math resource so I’m thinking I can use some printable math task cards for the above Snakes and Ladders game.

There’s hundreds of thousands of snake related videos on Youtube and I’m sure we’ll watch a few of them. Since we’re fans of “Good Mythical Morning” I have this one saved for ‘fun?‘ and a crazy PE idea (not real snakes but maybe a rubber one or two).

I’ve already been to my local library’s website and put some snake books on the hold shelf. We don’t have a zoo in our area, but we do have nature centers and pet stores, so I think a field trip can be easily planned to wrap up our snake study.